. To California and back; . eseason of their dance, at which time theyhandle their reptile deity with the most auda-cious familiarity and without serious secret of the mysterious antidote used bythem is supposed to be known to only three ofthe tribe, namely, the high priest, the neophytewho is in training to inherit that office, andthe eldest woman. In the event of the deathof any one of these three it is imparted to a suc-cessor, and under any other circumstances itsbetrayal is punishable by death. Every year, several days before the great day of the cere-mony, the intending partic
. To California and back; . eseason of their dance, at which time theyhandle their reptile deity with the most auda-cious familiarity and without serious secret of the mysterious antidote used bythem is supposed to be known to only three ofthe tribe, namely, the high priest, the neophytewho is in training to inherit that office, andthe eldest woman. In the event of the deathof any one of these three it is imparted to a suc-cessor, and under any other circumstances itsbetrayal is punishable by death. Every year, several days before the great day of the cere-mony, the intending participants enter upon astrict fast, which is not broken until the dancehas been concluded. In the intervening periodthe secret decoction is freely administered bythe venerable medicine-man, and the dancersemploy their leisure in capturing rattlesnakesand other serpents of the desert. Severalhundred of the hideous reptiles are collectedalive and imprisoned in a little corral. Uponthe morning of the fourth day, at the appointed45. ^»/5f-
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidtocaliforniaback02higg
